Or register



March 24, 1964 A. L. RADCLIFF 3,125,944

SUPPLY GRILLE AND/OR REGISTER Filed Feb. 8, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALA/V L. RADCL/FF ATTORNEY March 24, 1964 RADCLlFF 3,125,944

SUPPLY GRILLE AND/OR REGISTER @ZZLWAKM ATTORNEY March 24, 1964 A. RADCLIFF 3,125,944

SUPPLY GRILLE AND/OR REGISTER Filed Feb. 8, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ALAN L. RADCL/FF ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,125,944 SUPPLY GRILLE AND/0R REGISTER Alan L. Radclilf, Miami, Fla, assignor to Air Guide Corporation, Miami, Fla, a corporation of Florida Filed Feb. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 171,865 8 Claims. (Cl. 98-110) This invention relates to a supply register, and more particularly, to an air supply register adapted to be mounted within an opening in a supporting wall or the like to control the flow of air into a room.

A wide variety of grilles and registers have been proposed heretofore. A grille is provided with movable vanes which are adapted to control the direction of flow of air. Grilles have been proposed heretofore which are 4-Way or curved blade grilles capable of deflecting air to opposite sides of the grille as well as above and below the grille. A grille becomes a register when a damper is added to it in the rear thereof.

Heretofore, the grilles and registers of the prior art were composed of four pieces having mitered corners. The mitered corners were interconnected by spot welds, brazing, etc. A neoprene gasket has been conventionally glued to the inner surface of the pieces forming the frame. The neoprene gasket has been conventionally applied by cutting the same into individual lengths and gluing the individual lengths to each section of the frame.

The grilles and registers proposed heretofore suffer from numerous disadvantages. Quite often the corners break, or the corners are not mitered close enough so as to provide a frame which does not accurately fit the opening within the supporting surface. When corners are not mitered close enough, they present a grille or register which is not commercially acceptable. After a short period of time, the presence of moisture and/ or heat causes the gasket or glue to decompose. When the gasket be comes loose or falls off, a seal is no longer provided between the grille or register and the supporting wall surface.

The present invention is directed to apparatus which overcomes the above and other defects of the prior art. In particular, the present invention includes mechanical corner locks which provide positive assurance that the corners are in abutting contact with each other. The apparatus of the present invention includes a seal means which is positively locked to the members forming the frame. The air deflecting means or vanes of the apparatus of the present invention are mounted for rotary movement in self-lubricating bushings snap-fitted to the frame. The apparatus of the present invention includes a twopiece damper frame secured to the grille frame with clips thereby facilitating ease of mounting and eliminating the possibility of air gaps.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel register.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel register having mechanical corner locks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel seal means for the frame of a grille.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel means for interconnecting a damper and grille.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel actuating means for the vanes of the grille or damper.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel register capable of being economically manufactured and easily installed with a minimum of effort.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred;

it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a register in accordance with the present invention mounted in an opening in a supporting Wall.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 in FIGURE 1 with the damper blades in an open position.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 with the damper blade being in a closed position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 44 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View taken along lines 55 in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a partial perspective view of the damper blade actuating mechanism.

FIGURE 7 is an exploded view of a portion of the damper blade actuating mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a partial perspective view of a section of a frame in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view of the frame illustrated in FIGURE 8 illustrating the manner in which a vane will be mounted thereon.

FIGURE 10 is a partial perspective view of an alternative means for mounting the vane on a side section of a frame.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a register designated generally as It The register 10 is composed of a grille 12 and a damper 14.

The grille 12 illustrated in the drawing in a 4-way air deflection grille supported by a wall IS. The grille 12 includes a rectangular frame made from extruded lightweight material such as aluminum. The frame of the grille-includes a top section 16, a bottom section 18, and side sections 2% and 22. Each of the sections 16-22 are identical in transverse cross section. Accordingly, only the section 20 will be described in detail.

Section 20 is generally L-shaped in transverse cross section. Section 219 includes a leg 24 which is adapted to extend through an opening 26 in the wall 15. Section 2i) also includes a leg which is adapted to overlie a portion of the wall 15 around the opening 26. Said last mentioned leg includes a horizontally disposed portion 28 integrally connected to an angled portion 30 which terminates in a curved ridge 32. The free edge of the curved ridge 32 is adapted to be in abutting contact with the juxtaposed surface of the wall 15.

A plurality of fasteners 34, such as screws, are adapted to extend through the angled portion 30 to removably secure the register It) to the wall 15. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 5, the angled portion 30 is provided with an increased thickness on its inner surface. A .T-shaped slot 36 is provided in the angled portion 30. A seal 38 which is annular in transverse cross section is provided with an integral leg 39. The leg 39 is T- shaped in transverse cross section and is adapted to completely fill the T-shaped groove 36. When the free edge of the curved ridge 32 abuts the juxtaposed surface of the wall 15, the seal 38 will be deformed against flange 41 of duct 43 as illustrated-in FIGURE 4. The duct 43extends through opening 26 and flange 41 is disposed in a recess on wall 15.

, As shown more clearly in FIGURES 4 and 5, the section 20 is provided with a flange 40 extending from the leg 24 in a direction toward the curved ridge 32 and substantially parallel to the portion 28. A wall 42 is integral with the portion 28 and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular therefrom on the inner surface thereof. The wall 42 is provided with an elongated flange 44 adjacent the free ends of the section 20.' An L-shaped corner lock 46 is disposed adjacent each corner of the frame of the grille 12. Each corner lock 46 is disposed between the leg 24 and the wall 42. The flange 40 overlies one edge of the locks 46. The flanges 44 are adapted to'be bent over to overlap an opposite edge of the locks 46.

The sections 16 and 18 are provided with a plurality of spaced holes in line with one another. Each hole is adapted to receive a bushing 48 therein. The bushings 48 are preferably made from a self-lubricating material such as nylon or Teflon. The bushings 48 are preferably snapfitted to their respective sections. A plurality of vanes 50 extend between the sections 16 and 18. The vanes 50 are provided With a reduced cross sectional area at their re spective ends. The reduced cross sectional area of the vanes 50 are extended through the bushings 48. The vanes 50 may be rotated by digital manipulation to cause air to flow to one side or the other of the register.

The legs 24 of the sections and 22 are provided with a plurality of aligned holes. A bushing 52, identical with the bushing 48, is snap-fitted in the holes in the legs 24. A plurality of vanes 54 are horizontally disposed within the grille 12. The ends of the vanes 54 are provided with a reduced cross sectional area disposed within the bushing 52. The vanes 54 may be digitally manipulated as shown in phantom in FIGURE 2 to cause air to flow in an upward or downward direction. Hence, the grille 112 is a 4- way grille. That is, the grille 12 enables air to flow straight through, to the left, to the right, upwardly, downwardly, to the upper left, to the upper right, to the lower left, or to the lower right. If desired, curved vanes may be substituted for the tear-drop or tapered vanes 50 and 54.

As shown more clearly in FIGURES 2 and 5, the free edge of the leg 24 is provided with a flange 56. The flange 56 is integral with the leg 24 and lies in a contiguous plane. The flange 56 terminates at one edge in a beveled surface 58. The damper 14 is adapted to be releasably connected to the grille 12. The damper 14 includes a housing 60 which is rectangular in transverse cross section. The housing 60 is a two-piece housing having a removable end wall 61 and a cross sectional area corresponding with the cross sectional area of the legs 24. Since the flange 56 lies in a plane contiguous with the outer surface of the legs 24, the housing 60 will have walls which lie in the same plane as the legs 24.

The housing 60 is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 62. A plastic spring clip 64 has a stud 63 at one end extending through the holes 62 and snap-fitted to a wall of housing 60. The other end of the spring clips 64 extend over the flange 56 and cooperate with the beveled surface 58. As illustrated more clearly in FIGURE 4, four clips 64 are utilized to secure the damper 14 to the grille 12. While four such clips 64 are adequate to perform this function, a greater or lesser number of clips may be utilized as desired. The clips 64 are preferably made from a plastic such as Delrin but may be made from metal if desired.

The damper 14 is of the opposed blade type. The damper 14 includes blades 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70 mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the vanes 54. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 4, each of the blades 66-70 are provided with a shaft having its extremities rotatably mounted in a bushing 71. The bushings 71 are force-fitted in aligned holes in wall 61 and the opposite side wall 817 of the housing 68.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the blades 66 and 6 7 cooperate with each other to close a portion of the flow passage through the damper 14. Another portion of the damper flow passage is controlled by blades 68 and 69. The remainder of the flow passage through the damper 14 is controlled by moving the blade 70 to a position wherein it may cooperate with a portion 80 of the housing 60. The portion 80 is an integral part of the housing 60 which has been bent out of the plane of the wall of the housing 60 juxtaposed to blade 70.

An actuating mechanism designated generally as 84 is provided so that the relative disposition of the blades 66- 70 may be simultaneously adjusted. Mechanism 84 includes a plate 86 juxtaposed to wall 87 of housing 60. Plate 86 is provided with a plurality of holes 88 elongated in a vertical direction in FIGURES 2 and 3. The central rib on each of the blades 66-70 extends through one of the holes 88 and into one of the bushings 71. The holes 88 are in line with each other in the plane of the axes of rotation of the blades 66-7 0.

The plate 86 is provided with a plurality of holes 89 which are elongated in a horizontal direction in FIGURES 2 and 3. One hole 88 and one hole 89 are provided for each of the blades 6670. While the holes 88 are in line with each other, the holes 89 are staggered on opposite sides of the plane containing the axes of rotation of the blades 66-70. Each of the blades 66-70 has a finger 90 disposed in one of the holes 89. The fingers 90 are a continuation of the ribs 91.

A finger 92 on wall 87 extends through an elongated slot 93 in plate 86. Finger 92 is integral with wall 87 since it is a portion thereof which has been :bent out of the plane of wall 87 thereby forming hole 94. Finger 92 has a hole 95 therethrough as shown more clearly in FIG- URE 6. A bolt 96 having a screw driver slot in its head and a square shank is provided to cause reciprocation of plate 86. The shank of bolt 96 extends through hole 95 and a square hole 97 in lug 98. Lug 98 has a free end disposed in slot 100.

Hence, as bolt 96 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 7, plate 86 reciprocates downwardly in FIGURE 7, and vice versa. As plate 86 reciprocates downwardly in FIGURE 2, blades 66-70 are rotated to the disposition illustrated in FIGURE 3. It will be noted that the bolt 96 is accessible from a position in front of the grille 12. Thus, the mechanism 84 converts the rotary motion imparted to te bolt 96 to reciprocation motion of the plate 86 to simultaneous rotary movement of the blades 68-70.

The corner locks 46 olfer many advantages not found in the prior art. The corner locks 46 result in a tighter fit at the miter joint at juxtaposed ends of the sections 16-22. Also, the corner locks 46 provide a double thickness of material at the corners of the frame of the grille 12 thereby reinforcing the weakest area thereof.

In order to retain the corner locks 46 in position, the flanges 44 are bent over toward the flange 40 as shown more clearly in FIGURES 4 and 5. In doing so, the corner locks 46 slightly bend the flanges 40 so that the flanges 40 are slightly angled as illustrated in FIGURE 4. In practice, the flanges 44 adjacent each corner of the frame of the grille 12 will be deformed at the same time.

The seal 38 has many advantages over the neoprene rubber gaskets which have been utilized heretofore. In particular, it will be noted that the seal 38 cannot be removed in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the angled portion 30. The seal 38 is preferably inserted in a lengthwise direction in the extruded material from which the sections 16-22 will be formed. Thereafter, the extruded material may be cut to the desired length on a bias so as to form the sections 16-22 which will have ends cut on a bias so that a miter joint may be formed. Since the seal 38 will be inserted into the ex- 7 truded material from a roll of the seal material, the assembly of the seal can be performed much more rapidly than the application of individual sections of a gasket to the inner surface of an assembled grille. Hence the necessity for measuring and cutting a gasket seal to the required length corresponding to the length of the sections forming the frame of the grille as proposed heretofore can be eliminated.

The bushings made from self-lubricating material offers a positive non-jamming and non-rusting bearing surface for the vanes and blades. Heretofore, the grilles were provided with a steel spring wire to obtain friction so that the vanes and/or blades would remain in a predetermined position. However, the steel wire electrolyzes with the aluminum material of the frame and prevents rotation of the vanes or blades for proper deflection of air.

The seat for the damper 14 formed by the end of the legs 24 and the flanges 56 enables the damper 14 to be assembled to the grille 12 in a manner which provides an air-tight joint. Heretofore, a grille was connected to a damper by screws or other fastener means which did not provide an air-tight joint or required overlapping of members thereby interrupting the flow pattern. The spring clips 64 facilitate rapid coupling of the damper 14 and the grille 12.

In FIGURE 8, there is disclosed an alternative means for mounting the vanes with respect to the sections of the frame of the register and/ or grille. In place of the nylon bushings which are snap fitted with respect to the frame, the vanes or blades may be supported as set forth hereinafter. In FIGURES 8 and 9, there is disclosed a side section 120 of a frame, such side section may be comparable to section 20 described above. The section 120 is provided with a depending leg 122 which will be comparable to leg 24 mentioned above.

Leg 122 is C-shaped in transverse cross section thereby providing a channel 124 on the inner peripheral surface of the frame of which section 120 forms a side thereof. An elongated mounting strip 126 is disposed within the channel 124. Strip 126 is preferably made from a flexible material such as rubber, plastic, etc. The strip 126 may he slid into the channel 124 from an end thereof. Preferably, the strip 126 is snap-fitted into the channel 124.

In order for the strip 126 to be snap-fitted into the channel 124, the leg 122 is provided with inwardly directed flanges 128 and 128' as shown more clearly in FIGURE 9. The flanges 128 and 128', respectively, de-

fine shoulders 130 and 130'. The strip 126 is provided with peripheral flanges which rest on the shoulders 130 and 130'.

The flanges 128 and 128' also define grooves 132' and 132', respectively, at the base of the channel 124. It will be appreciated that the flanges, shoulders, and grooves of the leg 122 run or extend for the full length thereof. The strip 126 is provided with a pair of depending legs 134 and 136 which are parallel to one another and spaced inwardly from said edges of the strip 126. The leg 136 is provided with a bead 138 which extends into the groove 132. The leg 134 is provided with a bead 138' which extends into the groove 132'.

The strip 126 is provided with a hole 140 at spaced points therealong in a central portion thereof. A vane or blade 142 is provided with a stud 144 extending therefrom in a central portion thereof. The stud 144 is provided with a tapered peripheral surface. The base of the stud 144 has an outer diameter which is greater than the diameter of the hole 140. Hence, the stud 144 will be frictionally held by the strip 126 and remain in any preset rotative disposition. The flexibility of the central portion of the strip 126 and the spacing thereof from the bottom of the channel 124 enables the central portion of the strip 126 to be depressed so that the stud 144 may enter the hole 140.

The strip 126 extends for the full length of the section 120. Preferably, the holes 140 are punched in the strip 126 at spaced points therealong prior to the insertion of the strip 126 into the channel 124. The vane or blade 142 may be made of plastic or aluminum or any other suitable metal as described above in regard to the blades and vanes illustrated in FIGURES 1-7. The tightness of the fit between the stud 144 and the hole 140 enables the friction to retain the blade or vane 142 in any fixed position.

In FIGURE 10, there is disposed a mounting strip 126' which may be substituted for the mounting strip 126 when the blade does not have a stud which is circular in transverse cross section. Hence, the strip 126' is adapted to be utilized with a vane or blade 142' having a stud 144 which is rectangular in transverse cross section.

The strip 126' is provided with a plurality of sets of slots, such as slots 146, 148 and 150. The slots 146 will enable the blade to be maintained in an upright position. The slot will enable the blade or vane 142' to be supported in a horizontally disposed position for maximum flow. The slot 148 will enable the blade or vane 142 to be supported in an angular disposition for intermediate flow. Except for the provision of sets of slots at spaced points therealong, the strip 126' is identical with strip 126. Accordingly, it is not deemed necessary to describe strip 126' in detail.

The slots 146-150 have side dimensions which are slightly smaller than the corresponding dimensions on the stud 144'. Hence, the stud 144' will be retained in one of the slots 146-150 with a force fit. The force-fit support for the blades or vanes 142 and 142' eliminates vibration and rattling which exists in grilles and registers proposed heretofore where metal touches metal at the juncture of a blade and a frame.

The vanes and blades are provided with a smooth contoured surfaces which provides for rapid flow of air with minimum friction and drag. The components of the registers are made of a lightweight non-corrosive material to provide a register which reduces shipping costs and will remain attractive for an extended period of time.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus comprising a register, said register including a grille and a damper, said grille having corners reinforced and mechanically interconnected by an L-shaped corner lock, said grille having a T-shaped slot on a rear surface thereof, a seal having a T-shaped portion disposed within said groove, spring clip means securing said damper to said grille, said grille including vanes, the ends of said vanes being rotatably mounted in bushings, said bushings being made from a self-lubricating material, said grille being provided with a seat defined by a peripherally disposed flange, said damper having a portion within said flange in abutting contact with said seat, and said spring clip means extending across said flange.

2. Apparatus comprising a grille, said grille having top and bottom sections, said grille having parallel side sections, each section having mitered ends, each section having a substantially horizontal flange, each section having a wall spaced from said respective flange, an L-shaped corner lock reinforcing each corner of said grille, each corner lock being disposed between the wall and between the flange on each section, a flange portion of the wall being deformed so as to overlie a portion of each corner lock, spaced vertically disposed vanes, each vane having an end extending to a bushing made from a self-lubricating material, each bushing being in snap-fitted engagement with a section of said grille, said grille being provided with a plurality of spaced horizontally disposed vanes, each vane having an end extending into a bushing made from a self-lubricating material, each of said lastmentioned bushings being in snap-fitted engagement with a section of said grille.

3. Apparatus comprising a register, said register including a grille and a damper, said grille having a plurality of movable vanes controlling flow of air therethrough, said grille having a leg adapted to extend through a hole in a supporting wall, said damper having movable blades, said leg having a damper seat along the free edge thereof, said damper being received within said seat on said leg of said grille, the inner peripheral surface of said damper being coextensive with the inner peripheral surface on said leg, and spring clip means interconnecting said damper with said leg.

4. Apparatus comprising a grille, said grille being composed of sections interconnected at adjacent ends by means of a corner lock, said corner lock being L-shaped, said sections being L-shaped in transverse cross section with a first leg adapted to extend through a hole in a supporting surface and a second leg substantially perpendicular to said first leg, a flange on said first leg, said flange being substantially perpendicular to said first leg, a wall on said second leg, said wall being substantially perpendicular to said second leg, said corner lock being disposed beneath a flange on said first leg and between said first leg and said wall on each section, and a flange on each Wall overlapping a portion of each corner lock.

5. Apparatus comprising a grille, said grille having a plurality of sections interconnected at adjacent ends, said grille being adapted to be secured on a supporting surface over a hole in the supporting surface, a rear surface of said sections having a T-shaped groove, a deformable seal, said deformable seal having a T-shaped portion adapted to be disposed within said T-shaped groove on each section, said seal being adapted to cooperate with said supporting surface to prevent passage of air between said grille and said supporting surface, said grille being provided with a plurality of vanes supported by a removable strip on each of two of said sections, said two sections being provided with a leg which is "(i-shaped in transverse cross section thereby defining a channel extending for the full length thereof, and said strip being received within said channel on each section.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein said leg is G-shaped in transverse cross section thereby defining a channel on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a strip of flexible material disposed within said channel, holes at spaced points along said strip, and said vanes being supported at opposite ends by said strip with a friction fit.

7. Apparatus comprising a grille, said grille being rectangular, said grille being defined by sections which are generally L-shaped in transverse cross section. One leg of each section being adapted to overly a supporting surface, the other leg of each section being adapted to extend through a hole in the supporting surface, said other leg of each section being C-Shaped in transverse cross section thereby defining a channel on an inner surface of the sections, a strip disposed within the channel on at least two oppositely disposed sections, said strip having holes at spaced points therealong, a plurality of vanes rotatably supported by said strips, said vanes having studs extending into and frictionally received in said holes.

8. Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said strip is made of a flexible plastic material snap-fitted into said channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,288,521 Gregory June 30, 1942 2,685,246 Saunders Aug. 3, 1954 2,761,371 Parrish Sept. 4, 1956 2,780,983 De R00 Feb. 12, 1957 2,810,460 Winnan Oct. 22, 1957 2,945,269 Domen July 12, 1960 3,055,284 Pellegrini Sept. 25, 1962 

1. APPARATUS COMPRISING A REGISTER, SAID REGISTER INCLUDING A GRILLE AND A DAMPER, SAID GRILLE HAVING CORNERS REINFORCED AND MECHANICALLY INTERCONNECTED BY AN L-SHAPED CORNER LOCK, SAID GRILLE HAVING A T-SHAPED SLOT ON A REAR SURFACE THEREOF, A SEAL HAVING A T-SHAPED PORTION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID GROOVE, SPRING CLIP MEANS SECURING SAID DAMPER TO SAID GRILLE, SAID GRILLE INCLUDING VANES, THE ENDS OF SAID VANES BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN BUSHINGS, SAID BUSHINGS BEING MADE FROM A SELF-LUBRICATING MATERIAL, SAID GRILLE BEING PROVIDED WITH A SEAT DEFINED BY A PERIPHERALLY DISPOSED FLANGE, SAID DAMPER HAVING A PORTION WITHIN SAID FLANGE IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID SEAT, AND SAID SPRING CLIP MEANS EXTENDING ACROSS SAID FLANGE. 